Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that transmits image data, a control method for the image processing apparatus, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
Image processing apparatuses have conventionally been known that can transmit image data by using transmission protocols (transmission methods) for transmitting electronic mail and various types of files such as files corresponding to Server Message Block (SMB), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and Distributed Authoring and Versioning protocol for the WWW (WebDAV).
These image processing apparatuses can transmit image data to a single destination or transmit common image data to a plurality of destinations that corresponds to the same transmission protocol (multi-address transmission). In addition, image processing apparatuses have also been known that can transmit common image data to a plurality of destinations that corresponds to transmission protocols different from each other (different-type multi-address transmission).
In addition, a method by which an apparatus with scarce hardware resources (in particular, a memory) such as an inexpensive image processing apparatus for consumer use transmits image data has conventionally been known (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-142680). In this method, each time the apparatus reads one page of documents, the apparatus transmits the image data of the read page (hereinafter, sequential transmission). In sequential transmission, image data that has been transmitted is deleted from the memory so that image data of a subsequent page can be stored in the memory. Thereby, even with a small memory capacity, a plurality of pages of image data can be transmitted.
By performing sequential transmission, even if an apparatus has insufficient memory resources, the apparatus can transmit a plurality of pages of image data without causing a memory-full state. However, in sequential transmission, when an apparatus transmits image data of the last page, image data of the first page has already been deleted from the memory. Thus, when a user wishes to transmit data to a plurality of destinations by using a transmission protocol that needs a communication session for each of the destinations, the user needs to perform the following operation. First, the user places documents on an image processing apparatus and sets the first destination. When the user presses the start key, the image processing apparatus establishes a communication session with the set first destination and reads one page of the documents. Each time the image processing apparatus reads a page, the image processing apparatus transmits the image data of the read page. After image data of all the pages is transmitted to this first destination, the image processing apparatus ends the session. Next, the user places the documents on the image processing apparatus again and sets the second destination. When the user presses the start key, the image processing apparatus establishes a new session and starts reading one page of the documents. Since the user needs to place the documents and set a destination repeatedly in this way, much time and effort are required.